Oh he's very competent. He managed to walk away with your motor. What he is not is honest. This is why I buy the manual, and learn for myself. At times I have a friend show me, and I learn even better. Damned manuals drive me nuts.

"The mechanic said he thinks it might be carburation and started spraying some of my carb cleaner in it while I pulled the chord."

It sounds like the engine got flooded with carb cleaner. Normally one would use spray carb cleaner with the engine running not as one would try to start an engine. Probably have to change the plugs in order to get the engine started. You may have to use a spray starting fluid to get the engine started again. If that doesn't work, the carb may have to come off for a rebuilding. Good luck.

You can't just leave the engine and not pay the bill or you will never see it again, they will repair it and lien sale it to themselves.

The average mechanic rate here is about $100/hr so you are not necessarily getting ripped off in that regard. I'll pile on here though, if you didn't think the guy knew what he was doing you shouldn't have let him take the engine.

FWIW, there are several things that would cause the engine to POP. Assuming it was not mechanical, a lean condition caused by gummed up carb jets, exhaust valves being out of adjustment, exhaust leak etc. My vote would be for a gummy carb if it ran well when you last used it. Spraying carb cleaner into the throat of the carb to clean jets is about as effective as pouring drain cleaner into a manhole cover to clear the sink drain in your kitchen. If plugged, the carb needs to be disassembled and cleaned.

An engine will run with very low compression and you can't always diagnose that with a pull on the cord if the engine uses an automatic decompression system for starting. Somebody more familiar with your engine may be able to advise you about that.

Bottom line, if you have no confidence in the mechanic get the engine back before they can rack up big fees. Or let them fix it and pay up.

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Well, Mariner, you've stepped in it and the only question is what your STATE laws are. That's what will determine how and whether they can lien your boat, whether they need a written work order and so on. If there's nothing in writing you may be able to demand your engine back and get it. Maybe undamaged.

Best to find out what your local laws are and who knows of the shop and their rep. You might be able to demand your engine back, and if you have any proof of ownership, bring back a cop to liberate it if necessary.

But from what you say...the mechanic certainly sounds full of something. An engine with "no" compression wouldn't have started, wouldn't have run. And would be most unlikely to just "lose" all compression from one day to the next, that wasn't what you'd originally complained about.

Might be simplest to walk away from it but again...you've got to ask locally.

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